The invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for corrugating flat metallic foil.
The invention was developed in response to a need for a relatively simple machine for rapidly forming a continuous succession of identical, alternate, transverse corrugations in long ribbons of aluminum-alloy foil, each corrugation defining a circle-arc exceeding 180.degree.--i.e., a major segment of a circle. Such corrugations are especially useful in various load-bearing applications, as in lightweight structural material for satellites. Conventional machines of the hydraulic, mating-gear, or roll-forming types are not well suited for forming such corrugations.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel method and machine for corrugating flat metallic foil.
It is another object to provide a method and machine for forming transverse corrugations in a continuous strip or ribbon of metallic foil.
It is still another object to provide a method and machine for forming similar corrugations in deformable flat materials each corrugation defining in cross section a major segment of a circle.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be made evident hereinafter.